Tokyo wants ‘new level’ in relations with Moscow – PM Abe

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he is ready to improve relations with Russia to a “new level,” adding that development of friendly ties with a major neighbor is a guarantee of stability and prosperity in East Asia in the 21st century.

"Proceeding from a strategic and long-term point of view, I
want to improve relations between our countries to a new level. I
suggest we consistently continue efforts to solve the existing
problems through dialogue and develop relations in all
areas," the Prime Minister said in his greeting message at
the third Russia-Japan forum in Tokyo, TASS reported Thursday.

A territorial dispute remains the biggest unresolved issue
between Moscow and Japan. However, the two countries managed to
maintain record-high trade turnover of more than $30 billion in
2014. Japan imported $22.2 billion worth of goods from Russia
last year while exports to Russia were $8.2 billion.

"We will negotiate hard to solve the territorial issue and
sign a peace treaty. And at the same time strengthen relations on
a broad spectrum, including the economy, energy, security,
culture and sport,” PM Abe was cited as saying by RIA
Novosti. He also added that on an official visit to Moscow had a possibility to hold talks with
Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed at strengthening bilateral
relations.

Russia and Japan have
reached no compromise yet in a long dispute over the four
southern Kuril Islands as the two countries didn’t sign a peace
treaty after World War II.

Earlier this week, the vice president of Japan’s ruling Liberal
Democratic Party, and a former foreign minister Masahiko Komura
said Tokyo would like to settle the issue.

Japan wants “to sign a peace treaty to solve the territorial
problem and would like President Putin to come to Japan,” he
said on Wednesday in Tokyo during a meeting with Russian State
Duma Chairman Sergey Naryshkin. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is
“very seriously considering” inviting the Russian
President, Komura added. Moscow is ready for a dialogue and
willing to restart a dialogue with Tokyo to finally sign a WWII
peace treaty, the Kremlin responded.